Electrically-controlled indicator.



' 1-1. s. u. v ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED INDICATOR. 7

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29. I916.

1360,450. Patented Mar. 26,1918.

J I KB 43 R Q\ L Q I T Y N EARL S. RAU,.OZF-ELKINS PARK, EENNSYLVANIA.

ZELECTRICALL'SGGONTROLL'ED INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26,1918.

Application filed November 29, 1916. Serial No. 134,126.

To all/whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, 'EARL S. RAU, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elkins Park, in the county of Montgomery and State ofPennsylvania, have inventedoa'certain new and useful-ImprovedElectrically- Controlled Indicator, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention broadly stated relates to electrically controlledindicators and has more particular relation to anindicator -it'or useupon moving passenger carriers, such as electric cars. The principalobject of the present invention is to provide a simple, efficient andrelatively inexpensive street or station indicatorfor'electric cars forautomatically displaying in sequential relation the streets or stationsas approached, wherein provision is made itorthe electrical cutting outof the indicator operating mech anism immediately the indication isdisplayed. Other and further objects of the present invention reside inthe provision of novel and automatic devices cooperating in a practicalmanner for advancing a band or ribbon having delineated thereon thenames of streets or stations. YVith these and other objects in viewtheinvention consists of the improvements hereinafter described andfinally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will bemore fully understood from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing forming part'hereof andiin which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammaticview illustrating the circuit connections ofthe invention for operating an indicator for electric-cars.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a trolley wire connection at astreet crossing or station, and

Fig. 3 is a detail View hereinafter 'referred to.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawings one form thereof whichis'at present preferred byme since the-same has been found in practice to give satisfactory andreliable results, although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be 'vari ouslyarranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of the instruinentalities as hereinshown and described.

In the drawings 10 designates a trolley wire supported as upon stringers11, between poles 12 and 13 at a street crossing or station as may bealong an electric car line. Paralleling the'trolleywirev 10 in advanceof a street or station is a short section or auxiliary wire .14 whichmaybe supported between adjacent stringers 11 as shown in Fig. 2 or inany other desired manner. Such auxiliary wire is alive at all times. Thetrolley pole 15 of a car (not shown) is provided with an auxiliarytrolley 16 adapted for tracking upon the auxiliary wire 14 as a carapproaches a street or station. Electrically connecting with auxiliarytrolley 16 is conductor 1.7 which sub-divides one wire 18 leading to asolenoid 19 or electro-magnet and the other wire 20 leading to asolenoid 21 or electro-magnet. From solenoids 19 anc'21 wires 22 and 23lead to a conductor 24: which is grounded, for instance, through themotor of a car. Within the solenoid circuit thus formedis located aswitch 25, the purpose of which will presently appear. Located adjacentthe solenoids 19 and 21 are contacts 26 and 27 of which contact 26iselectrically connected. by wire 28 with conductor 18 and contact 27 iselectrically connected by wire 29 with solenoid 30 which in turn isconnected by wire 31with the return conductor 24 at a pointbetweenswitch 25 and connection of wire 22 with the return conductor 2%.Below solenoids 19 and 21 is located a pivoted detent "32 for releasingat predetermined periods an escapement 32' of roller 32" of a reel forthe display of a street or station designation. Such reel may be of any"desired construction. The detent 32 is provided at its free end with acontact piece 3% disposed in alinement with solenoid 21 and with theenergizing of said solenoid, said free end oi'thedetent is drawn up freeof the escapement. 'The-detent is further provided with a movablecontact piece 35 for bridging the oppositely disposed 'contacts 26 and27, when the solenoid 19 is energized, see Fig. 3. In this respect,itmay be stated that the contact piece35 is fiXed upon a pin 36 ofinsulating material but is relatively movable-with respect to saiddetent.

Thus as solenoid 21 draws up the detent, solenoid 19 draws up thecontact piece 35 bridging said contacts 26 and 27. With the bridging ofcontacts 26 and 27 current passes to and energizes solenoid 30 orelectro-magnet, which solenoid operates switch 25 to break the circuitwithin which is located solenoid 21 thereby denergizing the latter andpermitting detent 32 to assume its normal position, the reel in themeantime having advanced a predetermined distance for proper display ofstreet or station designation.

mal position, as is the switch 25. The lower roller 36 may also beprovided with a spring to insure positive reel movement.

In operation, as a car nears a street cross ing or station, theauxiliary trolley rides uponthe short section or auxiliary trolley wireand energizes the solenoids 19 and 21, whereby the detent is raised freeof the upper reel roller to permit the latter to operate. At the sametime, the movable contact of the detent is raised by solenoid 19 tobridge contacts 26 and 27, see Fig. 3,

with the result that current passes to and energizes solenoid 30 whichopens switch thereby dee'nergizing soleno d 21 to permit detent toassume its normal position. It is to be observed that these solenoidsareproperly proportioned for cooperatively accomplishing the aboveoperations.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel'and usefulconstruction whichv embodies the features of advantage enumerated "asdesirable in the statement of the invention and the above descriptionand while I have in the present instance shown and described thepreferred embodiment thereof which has been found in'practice to givesatisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the sameis suscep tible of modifications in various particulars withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any"of its advantages.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the character stated comprising an indicatorprovidedwith an escapement, an electrical circuit, an electro magnet insaid circuit,.a detent for releasing the escapement upon energizing ofsaid electro-magnet, a bridge piece movably carried by and insulatedfrom said detent, spaced contacts and an electro-magnet adjacent theretoalso disposed in said circuit, said bridge-piece upon'energizing ofsaidsecond electro-magnet being drawn up into bridging relation withsaid contacts and means located in said circuit operative for .deenergizng the detent operating electro-niagnet when said contacts are bridged.

copies of this patent may be obtained for The detent 32 as shown isspring (2011- trolled for rapid and positive return to norfive centseach,.by addressing Washingtoml). U. I

2. Apparatus of'the character stated comprising an indicator providedwith an escapement, an electrical circuit, an electromagnet in saidcircuit, a pivotaldetent for releasing the'escapement upon energizing ofsaid electro-magnet, a non-metallic pin car-f "ried by the detent andmovable with respect thereto,a bridge piece fixed upon said pin,

spaced contacts and an electromagnet adjacent thereto also disposed insaid circuit,

said bridge piece upon energizingot' said;

second electro-magnet being drawnup into bridging relation with saidcontacts and a switch and electro-magnet adjacent theretolocated in saidcircuit which electro-magnet is operative for opening said switch todeenergize the detent operating electro-magnet magnet adjacent thereto;also disposed in said circuit, means carried by, insulated from andmovable with respect. tov said 'de-- tent for contacting with saidcontact-means upon energizing of said second electro-mag net and meanslocated in saidcircuit' for-de energizing the detentoperatingelectro-niag i net upon eifecting of said contact; 7

. 4. Apparatus ofthecharacter stated com-' prising an indicator providedwith an escapenient, an electrical circuit, an electromagnet in saidcircuit, an apertureddetent for releasing the'escapement upon energizingof'saidelectro-magnet, a member having a stop movable through theaperture in said 1 detent but insulated i therefrom, a bridge piececarried by said member, contacts and an electro-magnet adjacent theretoalso Cll$ posed in said circuit, said bridge pieceupon energizing ofsaidsecond electro-niagnet be l ing drawn into bridging relation'wi'thsaid contacts and aswitch and anelectro-magnet ad] acent thereto located111G316. circuit which electro-magnet is operative tor opening saidcontacts.

In testimony whereof, "I have hereunto V signed my name. 7 V EARL S.RAU- Witnesses? '7 V HELEN M. BYRNE, WILLIAM J .'JACKSON.

ice

the Gommissioner of Barents.

switch to deen'ergize the detent operating V electro-magnetwiththefbridging of said

